Our lovely crew did their best to gather up £4000 for the film, but we still need £1000 to reach the production budget.

We need your help.

The Story

Jiayu appears to lead a harmonious life with her multi-generational family in Taiwan. Yet, beneath this facade, unresolved family issues linger. As her son Bingmo heads to the UK for university, Jiayu seizes a final opportunity for connection. Accompanying him during his settling-in period, she yearns to mend their strained relationship and uncover the buried complexities within their family. 

Director's Statement

Drawing from my personal experiences within my close family, it's a common practice in many Taiwanese households for couples to rely on their parents for childcare while living together. However, increased involvement of parents-in-law can disrupt traditional family dynamics, leading to a shift in traditional family roles, resulting in disconnection, diminished sense of belonging, and a search for external identity.

For me, this family structure feels like a constant, subtle erosion of the core of the home. Loneliness and evasion act as impenetrable barriers, allowing connections to fade amidst the swirling dust of life's turmoil.

Therefore, through this story, I aimed to capture a mother's urgency to mend her relationship with her child after years of disconnection within this family structure. As her son approaches independence, it draws them out of escapism and embarks on a journey to a foreign land where they engage in a dialogue, revealing the hidden loneliness and emotions within their family. As the film unfolds, I no longer delve into the root causes of the family's breakdown; instead, I seek to convey the intricate and unresolvable nature of family dynamics.

Creative Approach

Visual Language
The film accentuate the mutual gaze between the characters through visual cues. Initially, this gaze is one-sided, symbolising the longing to connect with each other's hearts. Only when both parties are willing to meet each other's gaze and break the one-sidedness can the true barriers between their hearts in the relationship be dismantled.

Style and Tone

This story is set in the autumn, during the back-to-school season, and the colour palette will be inspired by the hues of this season. Furthermore, to symbolise the lingering tension between the mother and son and reflect the urban landscape of Taiwan, we'll incorporate shades of grey. As their relationship blossoms, vibrant colours will slowly breathe life into their world, dispelling the initial gloominess.

We seek to redefine the traditional Taiwanese home, moving away from classic depictions in films like "Yi Yi" and "Eat Drink Man Woman." While traditional apartment-style living persists in Taiwan, there's a notable trend toward modern residential design with new community buildings and contemporary interiors. Our goal is to highlight this modern Taiwanese home style, focusing on minimalism, spaciousness, and a contemporary vibe. This design highlights the paradoxical family isolation in a larger space, creating a poignant contrast.

Meet The Crew:

Tianqi Yang - Producer
Tianqi, a Chinese producer based in London, is currently a third-year student at the University of The Arts London, majoring in film practice. She brings valuable experience to the field as both a producer and a 1st Assistant Director. In summer 2023, she served as a media intern at Afghanistan and Central Asian Association (ACAA), creating videos aimed at supporting Afghanistan refugees to build a life in London.

Stephanie, Rou-Chi Wang - Writer / Director

Stephanie Wang, a screenwriter, director, and producer. Currently in her third year at the London College of Communication, University of the Arts London, she specializes in screenwriting, directing, and producing. Proficient in conveying delicate emotions, Stephanie adeptly manages the tempo and flow of her works. Additionally, she demonstrates a keen sensitivity to inspiration and possesses a clear vision and strategic approach to translating ideas into a polished final product.

Billie Liao - Director Of Photography
Billie Liao, a cinematography student and the DOP for “The Erosion”. Billie has worked on several short films, commercials and music videos throughout her studies. — My heritage is Taiwanese, “The Erosion” connects with me deeper than any other films. I will try to deliver the visuals as true and as astonishing as I can.

Hance Rosales - Production Designer

Hance is a third year film practice student at UAL. Hance was born in the Philippines and he grew up in Reading. He aspires to write and direct his own films but he also has a big interest in working within the art departments for film production.

Yilin Li - Sound

Yilin studied Film Practice at the University of the Arts London. During these three years he worked mainly in film editing and sound design and worked on several graduation films. He has experience in post-production of films, and the film he edited won a gold medal for short film at the Houston Film Festival.

Lalita Cornejo Spink - Editor
Lalita, our editor, is 21 and currently studying at UAL. She is a passionate and skilled editor who has a great work ethic. She is excited to work on this project, as she has collaborated with the team before, and is looking forward to bringing this story to life.

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